KANPUR: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi continued their attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their third joint public meeting in Kanpur on Sunday.

The scions of Samajwadi Party and Congress had come prepared to respond to the PM’s "SCAM" jibe on Saturday. Seeking vote for the alliance, Akhilesh redefined Modi’s "SCAM" as ‘Save Country from Amit Shah and Modi’ while Rahul said he espoused a different meaning of SCAM as Seva (S), Courage (C), Ability (A), Modesty (M); and added that PM Modi was far from it.

He further stated those who were involved in SCAM find it everywhere. Ridiculing the SP-Congress alliance, PM Modi on Saturday had stated in Meerut that his party was pitched against SCAM, wherein, each letter of the acronym denoted ‘Samajwadi, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati.’

While counting his achievements of last five years, Akhilesh mentioned a number of Samajwadi schemes for peoples’ benefit—development projects like Expressway, Metro and facilities like DIAL 100, 1090 and 108 Ambulance services to buttress his claims.

“Pedalling the ‘cycle’ of development with the support of a strong ‘hand’ we promise to the people of Kanpur their all-round development, improved infrastructure facilities and better fulfillment of basic sadak, paani and bijli (road, water and power) needs,” said the CM.

Criticising PM Modi, Akhilesh brought forth his often repeated issue of demonetisation. “Those, who had promised ‘Achchhe din’, made the nation stand in queues,” he said further describing how he helped those families which lost their dear ones while standing in the queues.

The Congress vice-president targeted the central government saying they did not fulfil even a single promise made during the 2014 general elections. “Did anyone get Rs 15 lakhs,” asked Gandhi. “Let’s stop this politics of hatred and divide by the RSS and the BJP. Let UP be the land of love and amity,” said Rahul.

Batting for his party’s alliance with the Samajwadis, the Rahul Gandhi said the tie-up would work for the development of all sections of society including the poor, downtrodden, youth and women.

To his claim that there was hardly any difference between him and Akhilesh, people responded with the slogan, "Akhilesh nahi ye aandhi hai, saath mein Rahul Gandhi hai.... (Akhilesh is a storm with Rahul Gandhi along)."

Rahul Gandhi also claimed the PM was jittery of the youth power represented by Akhilesh and him. He urged the CM to prepare a youth-specific manifesto -- Youth's Common Minimum Manifesto-- which can address their issues in particular.

"I would like to give a couple of suggestions to Akhilesh. First, open coaching institutes for students of weaker sections to facilitate their accessibility to IIT, IIM and medical courses. Secondly, improve the industrial sector
in the state to create more jobs for the educated youth," he maintained.

Attacking the Centre over note ban, Rahul Gandhi said it was enforced to benefit the rich of the society. “Not a single rich person was seen standing in the queue before an ATM to withdraw money,” he said adding that it was only the poor who suffered.

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